Tailltiú - mug

Tailltiú is a Goddess associated with agriculture and was the foster mother of Lugh, the God associated with the sun and the feast of Lúnasa. She was married to the last Firbolg king of Ireland, Eochaid Mac Eirc, who gave her name to the area of what is now Telltown (Tailtin in Irish), in County Meath.

Lugh came into her care after his grandfather, Balor of the evil eye, had attempted to drown him and his brothers to prevent the prophesy that he would be killed by his own grandson. Tailltiú taught the young Lugh all the skills of the Tuatha de Danann and was adored by her foster son. It is said that she single-handedly cleared the woods of Cuan so that it could be planted with grain and in doing so, allowed a place for herself to be buried for she died soon after. As Goddess, she is associated with the land, being the daughter of Mag Mór, which means Great Plain and her fruit was the crab apple, the native apple tree of Ireland.

When she died, it is said that Lugh was so devastated by the death of his foster mother, that he founded the Tailteann games in her honour. These games are associated with the festival of Lughnasa as they happened at the beginning of August (Lúnasa in Irish) and were something on the lines of the Olympics which they predated by many years. They consisted of feats of endurance, speed and strength and lasted till the Norman invasion in the 12th century.

Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna